How to Use Sound Check in Apple Music

To use Sound Check in Apple Music on iPhone or iPad, open Settings > Apps > Music and turn on Sound Check. On Mac and Windows, open the Music app’s settings and select Playback to find the control. Sound Check balances loudness between songs, helping reduce volume differences as your music plays.

Louder recordings can sound quieter after you enable it. Apple recommends Sound Check for differences in loudness between stereo and Dolby Atmos tracks, so a lower apparent volume can be part of its intended effect.

Turn on Sound Check on iPhone or iPad

On your iPhone or iPad, open Settings, tap Apps, then tap Music. Turn on Sound Check on that screen. You’ll find the control in the system Settings app, outside the Music app.

These steps apply to current iPhone and iPad software, including iOS 27 and iPadOS 27. To disable the feature, return to the same screen and turn off Sound Check.

Enable Sound Check in Music on Mac

Open Music on your Mac, then choose Music > Settings from the menu bar. Click Playback and select Sound Check. These steps apply to the current Music app, including on macOS 27.

For the keyboard route, make Music the active app and press Command + ,. Click Playback, then select Sound Check. The shortcut opens settings; it does not directly toggle Sound Check. To turn the feature off, return to Playback and deselect Sound Check.

Use Sound Check in Apple Music for Windows

Open the current Apple Music app for Windows and select the Sidebar Actions button at the top of the sidebar. Choose Settings, select Playback, then turn on Sound check. To disable it, return to Playback and turn off Sound check.

You can also press Ctrl + , while Apple Music is active to open its settings. Select Playback and turn on Sound check.

Another keyboard route is to press Alt, then M, then M to select Sidebar Actions. Choose Settings > Playback and turn on Sound check. Shortcuts and access keys can vary with keyboard layout and interface language; use the sidebar button if the keys don’t match your interface.

If you need the app first, open Apple’s Windows download page and follow Download the Apple Music app for Windows from the Microsoft Store. Install Apple Music on a PC compatible with the current Store release, then use the app’s Settings > Playback controls to enable Sound check.

These controls belong to the dedicated Apple Music app for Windows. If music is absent from iTunes after you install Apple’s newer apps, Apple says to use Apple Music.

Get Apple Music on Android

To download Apple Music on a compatible Android phone or tablet, open Apple’s Android support page and follow Go to the Google Play Store. This installation route also applies to Chromebooks that support Android apps.

Apple does not document an exact Android Sound Check menu path on that support page or its Google Play listing. Downloading the app is an installation step, not a step that enables Sound Check.

Change Sound Check for HomePod

On the iPhone or iPad you use to manage HomePod, open Home. Tap the More button, then tap Home Settings. Scroll down and turn on Sound Check.

This route applies to HomePod and HomePod mini with HomePod software 27 or later. You change the setting for the home through Home Settings, rather than through an individual speaker’s settings. Return there and turn off Sound Check to disable it.

Set Sound Check on Apple TV 4K

On Apple TV 4K, open Settings > Apps > Music. Turn on Sound Check to balance music loudness. The route applies to current tvOS, including tvOS 27.

Follow these steps on the Apple TV 4K hardware itself, not in the Apple TV app on another platform. To switch the feature off, return to the same Music settings and turn off Sound Check.

Enable Sound Check on Apple Vision Pro

With the current Music app on Apple Vision Pro, open Settings. Tap Apps, tap Music, then turn on Sound Check. To disable it later, return to that screen and turn off Sound Check.

Apply Sound Check to an audio CD on Mac

In Music on current macOS, including macOS 27, you can apply Sound Check when creating an audio CD. You need eligible music files, a compatible CD burner and a blank disc. The separate Use Sound Check checkbox affects the resulting audio CD.

In Music, create a playlist containing songs you can burn, then choose View > as Songs. Make sure the songs you want to include are checked. If the checkboxes are hidden, choose Music > Settings > General and select Songs list checkboxes.

Insert a blank disc in the compatible burner and select your playlist. Choose File > Burn Playlist to Disc, then choose the Audio CD format. Select Use Sound Check and click Burn.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Sound Check affect every app on iPhone?

Sound Check is a Music-specific control. Enabling it in the system Settings app does not turn on volume normalization for every app.

Does Sound Check work with music videos on Mac?

Sound Check in Music on Mac applies to music videos as well as songs. You use the same playback setting for both.

Does HomePod Sound Check also cover podcasts?

HomePod’s home-wide Sound Check setting also covers podcasts. Keep that in mind when changing it for music playback.

Can you burn Apple Music subscription downloads to a Sound Check audio CD?

Apple Music subscription downloads cannot be burned to disc. You need eligible music files for the Mac audio CD procedure.

Do you need to uninstall Apple Music to disable Sound Check?

You do not need to uninstall Apple Music to disable Sound Check. Turn off or deselect the setting using your device’s existing control.